


Poisoned Blood.

by FaustGirl



Series: Adventures with Regis [1]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2016-10-25
Packaged: 2018-08-09 01:25:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7781488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaustGirl/pseuds/FaustGirl





	1. Chapter 1

The night in Toussaint had begun like any other and the stars were still shining in the sky Ilyst left the tavern with wobbly steps.  
She had drunk more than necessary and her overdeveloped sight was useless because she saw everything blurred.  
At the gate of Beauclair she stumbled and fell into a bush that took several minutes to get out and walked to the port where she dipped a bit and regained some sense she had left.

"I should go back to the cemetery ...".

She left the water and followed a path that led to Mère-Lachaiselongue, Beauclair Cemetery.  
The area was very quiet and all she could hear was the wind and the mewing of a stray cat.  
The cemetery entrance was clear and not a soul was in sight.  
The place looked desolate, full of cold gravestones whose occupants ended their lives naturally or prematurely.  
A huge crypt rised in its center and she had failed to open the heavy wooden door that seemed heavily closed.  
Her instincts told her some monsters were nearby, did not mind in the least, but since she had left the port she had the feeling that something was following her.  
She sat under a tree and just when the dream began to capture her with it's claws she heard some laughs that were getting closer.  
That made her draw her sword and prepare for what might come.  
Her ear picked up the voice of several men as they entered the cemetery and started to seek among the tombstones.  
They seemed bandits and one of them stood near the tree behind which Ilyst was hidden.

"I've seen her come in here, she can't be very far."

The other bandits nodded and looked with more speed and accuracy.  
The girl decided to change her hiding spot when one of them approached too much until she stepped on something she couldn't saw on the floor and before she could react due to alchol one of the men grabbed her arm and hit her against one of the headstones.

"Look who we have here ...".

The other men went to the grave and stared at her as she squirmed to get free.  
The person who was holding her shook her a few times and everyone laughed at the despair that showed on the girl's face.

"What shall we do with her?".

Everyone looked at eachother and outlined a wicked grin.  
The bandit who was holding her pinned her to the ground on her knees while another of them approached dropping his pants.  
Ilyst laughed inside her head at the poor animals, because as soon as she had the opportunity they would be all dead in seconds.

"Come on beautiful, open your mouth and nothing will happen to you...".

He grabed his cock with his hand and directed it to her, but she turned and another of the bandits slapped her.

"Open your mouth!".

She refused and closed it stronger than before that her teeth ached because of the force she was doing.  
The guy kicked her in the side and knocked her down, but she made no sound and he put the girl on her knees again with a violent jerk.

"Open your mouth fucking bitch!".

He wanted to hit her again but the man in front of him stopped his hand.  
Ilyst watched him carefully and it was a shame that they had been found eachother in such a situation.  
If it had been in other circumstances she would probably have come to share a bed with him.  
She sighed a little disappointed and the man put his hand in her jaw trying to open her mouth.

"Come on lovely, we just want to have a good time and I don't want to hurt that pretty face of yours...".

She ignored his words while was tracing a plan in her mind and the dagger in his boot pressed her calf.  
She calculated all possibilities and after getting one that could work she smiled mischievously and let the stinky man introduce his finger in her mouth and then replacing them with his penis.

"Good girl, we'll have a great time with you...".

He started thrusting against her without any contemplation while her eyes filled with tears and the other bandits were preparing for their turn.  
Her mind was going at the speed of light and when she found the indicated time and had introduced the member to the base she closed her mouth around it.  
Ilyst sharp and slightly pointed teeth dug into his flesh as hard as she could and her mouth filled with blood as the man screamed in pain.  
She continued sinking her teeth into the torn flesh until she had no more to bite.  
The bandit started losing blood like a pig.

"She had ripped my cock, that bitch has bitten it off!"

Ilyst spited it out and smiled showing him her bloodstained teeth.  
Several of them tried to tend the wounded man while the others beat up the bloodied lass.  
Ilyst drew the dagger in her boot and in the blink of an eye one of the men fell dead to the ground.  
That only made the wrath of the others increased and they stabbed her with her own knife before hitting her again.

When the cemetery was deserted the crypt door opened and a man came out.  
He began to search through the tombs the cause for which everything smelled like blood.  
As he approached the pit on the ground he poked his head and his eyes widened upon seeing a girl covered in blood inside.  
He took her as politely as he could and checked her pulse.  
He sighed relieved to see that she was alive and carried her up into the crypt while she was dripping blood along the way.  
He lay her on a bed and undressed her to check the severity of their wounds.

"Poor lass...".

He looked somewhat anxious and nervous but managed to cure her as best as he could and wiped some of the blood that she had stuck to the body before covering her with a blanket and let her resting as it was very pale and didn't want to move her more than necessary.


	2. Chapter 2

Two days later Ilyst woke up and yawned feeling the metallic taste of blood in her mouth and she was a little confused by what happened.  
She sat on the bed and hit the blanket over her chest as she realized she was naked.  
The girl looked around a little scared trying to recognize the place and after she had calmed down and breathe deeply she realized she was in the cemetery as the smell of moss seeped into the building.  
She was used to that smell and she can recognize it anywhere.  
The room was somewhat gloomy and it was a little cold, but it was bearable.  
The stone walls were frozen and some of them had begun to grow ivy.  
It had a sinister and disturbing atmosphere, but it did not bother her until she felt a slight presence that she decided to ignore.  
A throat clearing pulled her from her thoughts as she looked at the man who was leaning against the entrance of the small room.  
He was tall with grayish hair and deep black eyes.  
His skin was pale and his fingernails were slightly pointed.  
He wore a dark gray coat beneath which was a tunic of the same color.  
The man's scent disconcerted her because it was something that she had never smelled it before and she knew for sure that her rescuer was not human.  
He walked slowly keeping distance and stood in the middle of the room.

"I'm glad to see you're already awake, when I found you I was afraid that you had died."

His voice was nicer than she had expected to have and she felt a heavy shiver ran down her spine and the lass knew he wouldn't hurt her.  
That man had a powerful presence despite that he seemed harmless.  
She smiled and wrapped the blanket around her before getting out of bed.

"I'm pretty hard to kill, sir ...".

He took a small step back and smiled without opening his mouth.

"Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godefroy, at your service."

He made a little bow and she returned it.

"My name is Ilyst, a pleasure Emiel".

The man laughed showing a small part of his teeth and moved closer to her.

"You can call me Regis if you are more comfortable with it ".

Ilyst stared at him as if her mind was playing with her or indeed she had seen a pair of fangs in his mouth.  
She shook her head rejecting that thought and flashed a small smile.

"Are you a healer?".

"Indeed my dear child."

They looked at eachother for what seemed an eternity until Ilyst broke eye contact.  
The man couldn't look away from those mysterious silvery eyes and she felt like she was sinking in his deep black orbs.  
They were somewhat embarrassed and she felt a slight tingling in her stomach.

"If you'll excuse me, I have work to finish ...".

Regis turned to leave the room.  
She stopped him gently grabbing his arm.

"I wonder what happened to my clothes and my bag."

They sat on the bed and he pointed out a dagger that was on the nightstand.  
He grabbed it and pulled it from it's sheath.

"I found you in an open tomb , unconscious and covered in blood, I doubted to pull you out of it or not since you seem dead and I'm glad I made the right decision".

Regis smiled warmly, which made her relax.  
Ilyst left the dagger in her lap and clasped her hands somewhat nervous.

"The last thing I remember is fighting some bandits in the cemetery and kill one of them ...".

She ducked her head a little embarrassed as he rested his hand on her shoulder trying to calm her again because she was shaking like a leaf.

"You don't have to tell me yet if you can't, it's going to be fine...".

He ruffled her hair and dropped the dagger on the table.  
Regis got up and left the room to return with some fruit and water.  
He handed the food to the young girl and she began to devour an apple with anxiety.  
Then she swallowed two apples with the same speed and a water jug that had brought him as if she had been days without a drop of liquid.  
While she was eating, Regis had observed the scars on her exposed skin and he wondered how she would had inflicted such wounds.  
He also noticed her teeth and he began to think that she was not quite human as well.  
When she had finished he brought her clean clothes.

"I'm sorry if it is not to your liking, it's the best thing I could find...".

He held a wine colored fabric and when she unfolded it she saw that it was a beautiful dress with black embroidered leaves with golden buttons.  
She scanned the dress for a long time and smiled from ear to ear.

"Regis is beautiful, thank you."

She got up without thinking it twice and embraced him.

"It was nothing Ilyst".

He wrapped his arms around her and they remained like that until they split a little red.  
Ilyst couldn't stop smiling, and that made him blush even more.

"I suppose you want to bathe, give me a few minutes and come back with what you need, ask me whatever you want."

She let the dress on the bed and folded her arms.

"If you could get soap, water and some cloth it will be enough."

"Okay, I'll be back in a while with what you asked me."

He left the room and leave her sitting on the bed.  
As the man had left the crypt, the girl began to look everywhere watching all objects around her until she met with several shelves full of books.

"Interesting collection ...".

She ran her fingers over several volumes with gold back and took the first volume of the dusty shelf and sat down to read while she waited for Regis to return.


	3. Chapter 3

The girl was so caught up in the book she was reading that she didn't know at what point her rescuer had returned.  
The man left the things he was carrying on a nearby table and watched her as she reads.  
Her small figure was still covered by the blanket from the bed and she rested very delicately on her lap the book she was holding, as if were going to fall apart any time.  
Her short black curls were covering the side of her face where Regis was watching her, creating a small black amber curtain.  
In the silence of the room he could hear her focused breathing every time she passed a page and started another one.  
After finishing about three or four pages she placed a thin strip of cloth between them and closed it before she had removed the hair that was covering her face behind her ear.  
Seeing Regis make her blush and she smiled.

"Interesting reading for what I see".

Ilyst left the book in the same place that she got it and took the last piece of apple she had been eating.  
She popped it into her mouth and chewed slowly.  
She gave a little twist to turn around and went near Regis.

"Very interesting indeed, I had never read anything like that and the truth is that it has generated a lot of questions I want to answer."

"If you continue reading the following volumes I'm sure you would find those answers."

"I guess so...".

He approached the table and gave her a soft white cloth and a big pile made of bronze.  
Ilyst took the pile with one hand and put the fabric inside.

"I'll bring water so you can wash".

"Thank you."

Regis rummage in the bag that was tied to his belt and pulled out a small rectangular package with a pleasant scent of lavender and roses.

"I also took this, I hope you don't displease lavender or roses...".

He put it in her hand and she approached it to her nose to slightly smell it.

"I don't dislike neither, indeed, I often bathe with lavender."

The man smiled.

"I'll be back in a moment."

"Take the time you need, don't rush."

She returned to the small room and he left the crypt bucket in hand.

 

When Regis came with a bucket full of water, he poured it into the pile and made a little bow before leaving the room.  
She got rid of the blanket and left it on the bed after checking that wasn't stained with blood.  
With the dagger that was on the table Ilyst cut a piece of the cloth and soaked it with the soap and water.  
Her whole body was covered by a light reddish tone that became more intense or turned brown in some spots.  
The smell maked her stomach squirm a little and she wrinkled her nose when she started to clean up what was left on her right arm.  
She was relieved and she dressed with what was on the bed.  
The dress was soft and showed a lot of cleavage and the shoulders.  
Ilyst went out of the crypt to see Regis near some tombstones with two or three crows.  
He nearly doped the bottle he had in his hand when he saw her.

"I hope I look much better than I was when you found me."

"I can assure you that you look better, more beautiful if possible, the dress looks good on you."

llyst blushed and crows took flight.

She looked up with a smile and from a nearby tree a slight flutter started ringing.  
The girl approached the tree and a small animal with white fur and bird wings went down like an arrow.  
Regis watched the scene with curiousity as the animal rubbed against the girl's cheek and flapped it's wings vigorously.

"He's name is Deim, I found it when I was little and he had remained with me ever since."

He moved closer to them and the little creature looked at him with his big green eyes.  
When he put his hand the creature didn't pull away and climbed into it.

"I thought he would run...".

"You must have something of my scent on you."

Deim flew up and hovered between the two until he came to rest on Ilyst shoulder.

"We should go inside and eat, I'm starving...".

The girl rubbed her stomach embarrassed and the entered the crypt laughing.


	4. Chapter 4

Their lunch consists of fairly simple things, bread, two kinds of meat, fruit and some tipe of drink which Regis called mandrake hooch.  
The lass took a few sips but returned the bottle after the third one and she didn't put her hands on it again.

"I see you haven't liked it a lot".

She shook her head and slipped one of the few remaining pieces of meat that was on the plate into her mouth.  
The Bread had disappeared long time ago as the fruit.

"I don't dislike it , but it's a taste that fails to convince me, it's the same with the distillate that prepares my friend Enbard, I like it , but I'm not crazy about it's flavor".

He took a couple of drinks and put the bottle in his lap.

"Each of us drink what we like, not for me to judge such thing".

Ilyst half filled a glass with wine and sat back with the man.

"I give you the reason in that."

She put her glass against the bottle and both hit them making a little sound.  
They took a big gulp and put them aside.  
Regis clasped his hands in his lap and stared at her.

"There's something I've wanted to ask you for some time, but I'm not sure if I do well...".

She returned his gaze and smiled.  
Neither spoke and a small, uncomfortable tension was installed between them.  
This situation continued a few more minutes until Deim thought it was a good time to break it.  
He flew to Ilyst's lap and landed on it demanding attention.

"Hello little ball of fur".

She caressed him and looked at Regis.

"What do you want to know?".

His dark, tired eyes turned from her to get back at her seconds later.  
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before speaking trying to find the right words.

"I keep asking myself over and over again what were you doing on that grave and what happened before that, I hope you do not mind me asking ...".

The girl looked away to the floor.

"Don't worry, I think it's time I tell someone, I can not keep it to myself the rest of my life."

She placed the small winged creature in the palm of herhands and he flew to a nearby tree from which he could be pending her.  
She breathed deeply and hugged herself as she continued staring at the floor.

"That night I returned here after been in the tavern and I was quite drunk, all the way I felt like something was following me and I was right when I stopped to rest here and found four or five men looking for me and...".

Her look was very serious and Regis put his hand on her shoulder.

"It's alraight, there's no hurry, if you ever want to stop I will understand."

She smiled and put her hand over his.

"Thank you".

He shook his head and let her continue.

"When they found one of them pinned me and forced me to my knees in front of the others who would use me as they wanted, but they not succeeded, the first of them lost something that he can never recover".

"That's why the cemetery smelled like blood?".

"Exactly".

Ilyst grinned revealing his sharp and slightly pointed teeth.  
Regis laughed at her comment.

"After that they beat me until they got tired and stabbed me in the side with my own dagger before they throed me to that grave because they thought I was dead, luckily during the third beating I was unconscious and if I got more I didn't noticed it and they ran and took all my stuff".

The an after hearing her story stood up and held her out his hand.

"Come on, we must go to Beauclair".

She taked it without questioning him and she let him take her without complaint.

 

Once in Beauclair they stopped in front of the tavern.

"Why did you bring me here Regis?".

"We must find out where they are, they must pay for what they have done to you".

She put her hand on his shoulder and looked into the tavern.

"It's not so bad, is not the first time that happens to me."

"While I am here, I will not let anything happen to you."

That sentence made the girl blushed and they entered the tavern.  
They asked every living creature that lived in the building and described them physicaly without any result.  
They left somewhat disappointed and walked to a small square that had a fountain in its center.

"I'm sorry that we couldn't get anything."

"It's not your fault Regis, I'm sure if we continue asking we shall find something...".

"Okay...".

They spent the rest of the afternoon wondering through the streets until the fate stumbled before them.  
A couple of men, possibly beggars , argued among themselves as loud as they could and Ilyst had to separated them.  
Once they had calmed down she tried to do several questions to which they responded as best as they could.  
They were given a few coins and returned to the square they had been before to process everything they had heard.

"So we have to find a kid who cleans boots?".

"It looks like it is...".

"Let's get moving we can't waste any more time."

They searched all Beauclair until they found that child.  
He was about twelve or thirteen, and his face was dirty and muddy.  
He sat in front of a couple of chairs where customers sat and let the boy work.

"Take some coins, speak with the boy while I resolve an issue that I have pending, we will meet at the fountain".

"Okay, I don't think it would take too long, I'm good with children ..".

"I'm sure of it".

He ruffled her hair and smiled.  
They separated in a corner and each took different directions.

 

After several hours they gathered in the fountain and Regis was carrying an elongated package in his back.

"Did you get some information or clues?".

"I know where his hideout is, his boss is called Lazio and they call thamselves the Gray Foxes, is in a very hide and difficult area of the forest".

"We'd better get back to the cemetery, there we will think what to do."

"Good idea, it's getting dark and I want to go back now, I'm a little tired, and I'm still a little nervous about what happened."

"Do not worry, nothing will happen, come ...".

He rounded her shoulders with his left arm as they leave Beauclair thinking about the next step.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning Regis sent ravens to find the location of the fort and some path that would take them there undetected.  
While he was waiting he unwrapped the package that he had been carrying the night before and left it on the table so when Ilyst woke up she could see it.  
The more he thought about what had happened to her more anger grew inside him and he still didn't understand how someone could do something like that to someone like her.  
He stopped moving the herb mixture he was preparing and raned his hand over his face.  
He didn't want to admit it but this girl with beautiful black hair was seeping into his old heart harder than he had expected.  
Regis filled one glass with the mixture he had prepared and scribbled something on a piece of paper.  
The man entered the room and left the two things on the table.  
He turned toward the bed and watched her sleep.  
Her chest rose and fell slowly but rhythmically and some curls fell over the girl's face hiding one of her eyes.  
At that time he had wanted to approach her and stroke her face, but he knew that simple gesture can woke her up , so he left the crypt to see if any raven had returned.

A few hours later Ilyst got up and stayed a few minutes sitting on the bed massaging her temples.  
She had a big headache that felt like thousands of tiny needles digging everywhere.

"Regis...?".

No one answered, but the girl does not seem stranged about that, many times when she woke, he was never there.  
On the corner of her eye she detected the glass and the note that were on the table.  
She got up slowly and after reading the note she drank the content of the glass.  
It was a very bitter taste that reminded her of the berries that she used to collect at the bottom of Kaer Morhen when she was little and seemed to relieve the pain.

"I wonder how the others are doing...".

She sighed bitterly and looked for some clothes to dress.  
After several minutes of searching she found next to a long wooden carved box something that looked like a shirt and a pair of trousers.  
She dressed with them and wanted to leave the crypt, but his curiosity got the better and she ended up opening the large box.  
Inside it was a sword with a finish worthy of a king and a belt to carry it.  
It was nothing fancy but fulfill the role to be given.  
Ilyst removed it from the box and looked it more closely.  
It didn't had any particular color and the blade had numerous engravings on it.  
She made a couple of twirls with it and went to the cemetery.

"Look Deim, it's not as good as mine but is quite manageable, and it's not silver, surely it would weigh much more...".

The furry creature approached her and landed on her head.  
She caressed him and left him in the lower branch of a tree.  
She walked to an open area of the cemetery and tried to remember everything Vesemir had taught her about the swordplay.  
She had never known how to do it very well since her first weapon was a silver bow and a dagger.  
The girl touched swords for more intense workouts and she had lost a finger because she was distracted but the old Witcher sewn it in place and they were functioning as if it never happened.  
Ilyst looked at the scars on his middle and little finger of his left hand and smiled as she remembered that day.  
She pulled the sword and began practicing with it without noticing that Regis had been watching her all the time.

"You seem very skilled with the sword".

"They showed me to use it some of the best warriors I know".

She turned on herself and crossed her invisible opponent.  
She sat under the shade of a tree and the man gave her something to drink.

"Some news?".

He sat beside her and nodded.

"Indeed, there is a hidden path that climbs the side of the forest and leads to the vicinity of the fort and it would be very bad idea strike with daylight".

Ilyst rubbed her temples and rests her head against the tree.

"Then we will go at night, we have the surprise factor and they wont see us coming, and I bet what you want that the majority of them will be already drunk when we arrive".

"It's a possibility, and I think it's the best we could do".

"Well, let's get going, we have work to do...".

They spent the rest of the day finalizing the details of the plan and at dusk they left.

 

The forest was much lusher than Ilyst had imagined, but they managed to find the way through while the ravens followed them.  
As they advanced they could hear the voices and screams of several men.

"We must be close...".

They hide behind two huge rocks and from there they observed the fort.  
The construction was well protected and certainly it will cost them some time to get in undetected.

"I didn't thought there will be so many of them...".

"Neither do I, now the important thing is to wait for nightfall and put the plan into action".

They stepped back a little and hide in the bushes waiting for the night.


	6. Chapter 6

Dusk fell quickly over the forest and everything was in complete darkness.  
Thick clouds covered the sky and threatening to rain.  
If it rained they would have more trouble as everything was very slippery and if they committed any fault they would pay dearly.  
Neither of them moved from their place and the only thing they could hear were their calm breaths.  
Nor they dare to speak, which caused some tension.  
Ilysy was leaning against one of the rocks and she had rolled up the sleeves of her shirt.  
It was hotter than she had expected and the clothes that she wore didn't make her any favors.  
Moisture sticked to her skin leaving behind small droplets of sweat.  
Regis tried not look much, but the hectic pulse of the girl despite appearing to be calm caught his attention.

"Are you nervous?".

She shooked her head and partially pulled the sword from its sheath.

"Not much really".

He sighed and pulled something from one of the bags that were dangling from his belt.  
He took a few steps in her direction and held out something.

"Here, this will help, you just have to chew it".

She reached out to grab whatever he was giving to her and for a split second their fingers brushed.

"Thank you...".

Ilyst sat down on the stone in which it was before redder than a tomato while she prayed that he couldn't see her face.  
What she didn't know is that he could see it perfectly and smiled at that innocent reaction.  
She began to smell what was in her palm but she couldn't identify what type of plant was and brushed the tip of his tongue in it.  
It's taste was very bitter and powerful, but she didn't dare to question why he would have given that kind of plant to her and stuffed it into her mouth.

 

That plant calmed her more than he had thought and all her senses sharpened more than normal.  
She could hear even the smallest being living around.

"We should better put the plan in place, if we wait we will not have as easy as we thought".

Regis nodded and left the lush thickets up to one side of the fort.  
Several bandits walked on top of the stone wall and they had to be very careful to avoid been detected.  
The entrance was guarded by six of them, all half drunk.  
They looked near the door for more men but there were none and positioned to finish them.

"If I kill more of them invite me something to drink and if not I'll do it".

"We will drink anyway, although it is true that a small challenge makes everything more fun."

She smiled and left as quietly as possible between some bushes.  
They approached the unsuspecting men without giving them time to react, Ilyst beheaded one of them and stabbed one of the other two in the heart.  
The third was about to escape, but she threw her dagger with such force that she drove the wobbly body against the stone wall.  
She picked up her dagger and let the body hit the ground.  
Regis had finished in that moment with their opponents who lay on the bloodied floor and with expressions of horror in their faces.  
In his hand he was carrying a small knife which was dripping blood and placed his hand against his forehead somewhat agitated.

"Are you okay Regis?".

"It's nothing, continue and I sha'll follow you, ther's no time to lose...".

She nodded and entered the fort after killing all who were watching.  
The courtyard of the huge structure quickly filled with the blood of its inhabitants and all was silent.  
She didn't see anyone else, but Ilyst knew there was people inside, she could hear a slight, almost imperceptible melody that came from somewhere in the fort.

"We could split up, you might as well find out where the others are".

"It seems a good idea, but you don't have a very good face".

"I'll be fine, it's just that I'm a little out of practice...".

His face contorted in pain and his eyes grew deeper than ever.  
Ilyst couldn't stop looking at him worried and he thought if he should let her live or tear her trachea and drink all her blood to not leave a single drop.  
He looked at her the same way a hunter would glare at his prey and he sat on the floor, he didn't want to kill something so sweet and delicate in appearance like her it would be a shame.  
That thought led him to remember the countless lives he had taken and how in those days he wouldn't have hesitated to drink from someone so young and beautiful as her.  
But now it was different and he didn't wanted to hurt her in any sort of way.  
He had gotten so deep into his memories that he didn't even notice how Ilyst buffeted him.

"Regis you okay?".

He blinked a few times and came to his senses.

"I'll be fine".

"Okay, but still be careful".

"You too".

"I will...".

She helped him up and when he was better they separated and each sought at one end of the fort.

 

The door she had entered leaded to a huge hall in which there were a lot of items, weapons and armors, possibly all stolen and she walked among them with great care avoiding making any noise.  
She searched for her stuff without success and sighed bitterly.  
She stucked against a wall and thanked for that meeting in which she learned some of the techniques of the School of the Cat.  
She could kill all her enemies before anyone knew what was going on and her unfortunate victims were approaching.  
Two men where laughing and drinking while walking down the hall shouting obscenities.  
They not passed thirty but appear much older due to the amount of dirt that stained their faces.  
Ilyst prepared her knife and in a blink both layed dead on the floor.  
She hided them behind some barrels and followed the only corridor that left to the biggest room as she tried to calm herself down.  
She knew that if Vesemir or the others saw her doing all of that they would look somewhat disappointed, but at that time she didn't cared, she just wanted to retrieve her things and burn that fort until there was nothing left.  
Her eyes burned so much that she would have liked to take them off her skull, her teeth nailed against her tongue leaving a light metalic taste in her mouth and her arms itched while white little feathers grew out of them slowly.

 

She came to the room that was down the hall and stopped in front of the huge door.  
A happy tune sounded inside and she knew that the thieves were inside.  
The laughter and the screams of both women and men filled the air without realizing the horror that was about to come.  
She opened the door with a kick and all was silent.  
They watched her with fear and surprise but no one dared to move.  
The chief got up and drank from his cup.

"I thought you were dead in the cemetery that night, but I see I was wrong, I should have gone down personally to kill you".

His face showed great arrogance and Ilyst was more than willing to kill him.  
He was one of the men who attacked her in the cemetery, more specifically the one that kept her on her knees unable to move.

"I'm hard to kill, I always come back...".

The girl's voice sounded somewhat distorted and was completely sure her eyes were as black as the soul of the man on the other side of the room.  
The women looked at the girl in horror.

"This time I will make sure you never come back, beautiful".

Both drew their swords from their sheaths and began to fight in the middle of the room before the eyes of all present.

 

After a long period of time they fight to the death and Lacio disarmed her.  
He pushed her against one of the walls and pierced her shoulder with his sword.

"You're not as strong without a weapon?".

He laughed and she was silent.

"I couldn't even imagine all the things I would have done to you before I had the time to kill you...".

He twisted the sword slowly and she gritted her teeth as she watched him defiantly.  
That only made him laugh more and hr sinked the sword harder in her pale flesh.  
Blood began to flow from the wound and she felt it down her arm.  
It was very hot, almost to boil and burned her skin.

"Why do not you show me now all that you just said?".

The only contact with her gaze could kill, but he simply sinked the sword deeply on her shoulder and approached her.  
He ran his hand through her black curls, which were turning white and smiled.

"I'm sure that my men would love to play with you when I had finished here...".

"I don't doubt it...".

Her voice sounded somewhat strange and he came closer.  
When he had realized she dug her sharp teeth into his neck and tore a large part of his throat in the process.  
All bandits watched in horror the grotesque spectacle and the rest of them attacked herwithout success.  
The women all had taken refuge in a corner and ran when Ilyst approached them.  
She shrugged and took all her things, which layed by the fire.  
She came out wobbly and started looking for Regis, she hadn't saw hin in a while and was worried about him.  
Ilyst shouted his name as loud as she could, but instead of the good and kind man she knew a horrible creature who was dressed like him appeared.  
His face was severely deformed and his hands were huge claws.  
He was covered in blood and stared at her like she was a helpless rabbit.  
The adrenaline coursed through her body at such rate that she seemed to burst any second.  
Se decided it was best to escape as fast as she could and finally she hit against something that she hadn't saw on the road that separated the forest and the cemetery and fell unconscious while the creature haunted her.


	7. Chapter 7

The intense chirping of birds woke Ilyst of her deep unconsciousness and she fell noisily on the wooden floor.  
It took her several seconds to open up her eyes and notice that she was in a room that she didn't recognize.

"Where the hell I am...?".

The room was warm and the sun streamed through one of the two windows that were open.  
Its walls were also made of wood and in some of them the owners has hanged tapestries.  
The bed was large enough to accommodate two people without much complication and all the blankets layed crumpled on the floor.  
Ilyst looked out the window once she was used to the light and she immediately recognized the street where she was.  
She sighed relieved to know she was in Beauclair and she sat on the bed with her eyes closed.  
She breathed deeply and the bedroom door opened.  
For her two girls came about six or seven years judging by their appearance, hich, stare at her and smiled.  
The smallest was blond and wore her hair in a leafy braid.  
Her face was freckled and she had green eyes.  
She wore a blue dress and she holded a doll in her little arms while she was hiding behind her sister.  
The oldest had much shorter, brown hair, which turned blond in contact with the light.  
Her eyes were also green and wore purple clothes.

"Mom told us to see if you were awakened, we'll bring you breakfast".

The girl looked at the largest of the two ladys and nodded wordlessly.  
The girl with brown hair left the room and her little sister wanted to follow her, but she whispered something in her ear and she stood in the doorway.  
Once she had gone the little on approached to Ilyst and gave her what she held in her arms.  
It was a simple piece of cloth with the shape of a doll.  
Her dress was bright green and her hair was made of black thin wool.  
She was missing an eye and you could tell that someone had clumsily tried to sew it back in place.

"You want to play with me?".

She took it and made it dance on her lap, which made the little girl laugh.  
She loved making children laugh and take care of them but they were not of the same blood.  
That was something that Vesemir and the others had taught her, care for others although they had nothing to do with you.  
Someone gently knocked on the door and the brown hair gilr came in with a tray of food in her hands followed by a woman which Ilyst assumed was her mother.  
The woman was quite small and had beautiful features.  
Her pale blond hair was pulled back in a tight bun and she wore a very simple but elegant green dress.

"I'm glad to see you're already awake Miss, my name is Egynn and these are my daughters, Leda and Cyna".

She pointed towards the brunette girl, Leda and then she pointed to the little blonde girl, Cyna.  
Her voice was clear and strong.  
Ilyst looked at her curiously.

"How long have I been here?".

Her voice was harsh and she coughed a few times before Leda give her a glass of water.  
She drank two gulps and rubbed her temples.

"You have been here a couple of days, a man brought you here and paid for a room, then he left and disappeared ...".

She blinked several times in a row and the name of Regis stucked in her head as an arrow would do.

"Did you get to see that man?".

Egynn shook her head somewhat distressed.

"I could only hear his voice, seems to have a good vocabulary and was very quiet."

Ilyst rubed her chin and sighed.

"Did he say his name at some point?".

"Not that I have heard, just he said it was a traveler who had found a girl lying on the road and asked for a room to let her there".

"And he went up to the room?".

"As my husband says he came here and spent about half an hour, then left, paid the cost of the room and disappeared, no one saw where he went."

Cyna took her hand and looked a little sad.

"We are very sorry that we couldn't help you more...".

She gently squeezes her nose and smiled.

"It's nothing, because you have done much to allow me to stay."

She returned the doll to Cyna and the landlady told them to go outside with her hand.  
They obeyed without question and the woman closed the door to let her eat quietly.  
She got up and noticed a slight jab in her left temple.  
She rubbed the area thinking it was a simple headache and began to eat the stew of vegetables and bread they had brought.  
After finishing the meal her head still hurts, but she dressed and went out with all her stuff to get some air.

 

In Beauclair began to circulate the terrible rumor that a new disease was spreading through the city.  
At certain times of day the streets were deserted and very few people were out.  
That deeply attracted the attention of Regis and he decided to investigate the root of such rumor.  
After three or four days his inquiries led him to the prison.  
Several guards stopped him when he tried to enter.

"What business brings you here?".

"I'm here to see if the rumor that has been spreading around the city is true or not and if it were true I am a healer and I can help".

The men thought for a long time and let him go.

"Just go down these stairs and walk all the way to the left, you will recognize the site right away".

"Thank you".

He was given a key and entered the building.  
He followed the path that they had indicated and once he had entered the cold room he found one unusual scene.  
The cells on the right side were all crowded while the left were empty.  
The prisoners seem frightened and look at the floor as the ears were covered.  
In the silence of the room he could heard a horrible, heavy breathing, similar to a person who is near to death.  
Regis scanned the cells until he found one that had a small lump that rose and fell painfully lying on the stone floor.  
He opened the door and closed it behind him.  
He lit one of the torches hanging on the wall and put down near him.  
He approached the bundle and turn it to better view his expression changed completely.

"Ilyst?...".

Under the orange torchlight the girl looked paler than usual and a crowd of dark veins covered her face and hands.  
Her skin seemed ice to touch due to sweat caused by her high fever and she was shaking from head to toe.  
He took a needle out of his bag and punctured slightly her index finger until a small amount of blood left the wound.  
The air was filled with a foul smell and he didn't need to try it to know it was poisoned.

"She has poisoned blood...".

He picked her up out of the cell before the terrified gaze of the other present.

"You have nothing to fear, she's not sick, just poisoned".

They left the prison under the watchful eye of his guards and before they reach the city he completely covered her with her cloack avoiding the gaze of the  
people.  
With every step she let out a whimper though she was unconscious and one of her hands clutched trembling against his clothes in a weak but persistent grip.  
The more he walked with her in his arms she seemed to weigh less and when he spotted the cemetery Regis sighed with relief.  
The girl's pulse was weak and he had to lie her down somewhere comfortable to find the antidote that could save her life.  
He wouldn't let her die even if it was the last thing he would do in his life.


	8. Chapter 8

The days passed and Ilyst was getting worse.  
Her face lacked of any color and Regis had done everything to lower her fever.  
The girl had occasional moments of consciousness but soon fell back asleep.  
He had tried to feed and drink her many times while she was awake, but she accepted water reluctantly because every time she drank she felt like her throat was burning and she screamed in pain.  
The man went out for medicinal herbs to prepare an antidote that could save her life and when he came back he realized again that those silvery dying eyes were watching him.

"Ilyst, you're awake!".

He walked hastily to the bed and sat beside her.  
She tried to move her head but her body no longer responded no matter how hard she tried.  
From her eyes tears began to flow endlessly.

"Am I going...to die...".

Regis took her hand and gently caressed it even knowing she probably couldn't feel it.  
He breathed deeply and kissed the girl's forehead.

"No, I wouldn't let it happen."

She tried to smile but only managed to slightly open her mouth.

"How long have I been...like this?".

"A week, maybe two at most, and I appreciate your blood flow is so slow or otherwise I couldn't have done anything."

He wiped her tears with his fingers and caressed her cheek.

"I need you to tell me what happened, is the only way to find a cure."

Ilyst looked at the glass that was on the table and he picked it up to give her some water.  
While she was drinking her eyes squeezed tightly trying to suppress the pain and when she had finished she sighed relieved.

"I don't remember very well what happened...I was running from something and I...I got into some bushes and I felt...as if my skin was burning...".

"Did you see the color of the bushes?".

"No".

Regis sighed but smiled bitterly.

"Don't worry, I will go out now and hopefully I will be back before you know it."

He hugged the girl, went out and came back with a crow on his shoulder.

"I'll leave the crow here with you to be sure that nothing happens and if something happens, he will come to me as quickly as possible."

"It's okay...be...careful".

"Always."

The man left the crypt again and went to the forest to look for those bushes that she had spoken to him.

 

When he reached the area near the fort, the structure still smoked and dried blood was covering the floors and walls.

"They must be here somewhere...".

He Entered the fort looking for some kind of plant, but instead a series of strong and vivid memories assaulted him.  
He saw how he had destroyed a man's throat with his own hands and how he did thousands of pieces many others.  
He also saw a group of women fleeing in panic and several of which fell into his clutches.  
The worst of all and certainly the one that destroyed him the most was the memory of a small creature with snowy hair that watched him in horror fled.  
Regis leaned against one of the stone walls and rubbed his face with his hands before continuing the search.  
He left the fort and a few hours later he found an area full of bushes where another memory assaulted him and saw the pale and bloodied creature fleeing through some white plants.  
He rummaged through the thick undergrowth and he found some small white plants.  
He knelt beside them and a powerful smell filled his nostrils.  
It was the same smell that her blood had.

"Surely these are, no doubt about it."

He collected a lot of them and put them in a bag he had brought with him.  
When he got up his eye caught up a trail of dried blood that ended near one of the whitish plants that was covered by a huge amount of blood of several different people.  
The man stayed there several minutes and then returned to the crypt.  
It was quieter and despite all the time he had spent outside nothing bad had happened.  
The first thing he did upon entering was to give her some water and then immediately concentrated all his efforts on creating an antidote powerful enough to prevent the poison to kill her.  
If it weren't for the moans that Ilyst made from the other room, Regis would have thought that instead he had a corpse in that bed.  
The days passed and all the mixtures that he had created they seemed useless and at times the hope seemed to vanish from his path.  
Still, he continued to seek a remedy to remove the poison from her blood while he wrote down everything he did meticulously.  
He filled a bowl with the final mixture he had made and after writing quickly the ingredients on a piece of paper he went into the other room a little worried.  
He sat on the bed and he incorporated the girl to give her the antidote.  
She drank it with some difficulty and he lay her on the bed again to let the antidote to take effect.  
He brushed a few strands of hair from her face and cursed himself for not getting a cure, he refused to let her die.

 

Days later he gave her that mixture again, as it seemed that the fever she had was going down while those horrible purple veins that covered her face began to slowly disappear and he had the strong belief that he had given her the correct antidote.  
After her last bowl he sat on a chair that was across the room while he was reading a book and sighed relieved to hear that her breathing had stabilized and she had no longer difficulty with it.  
Regis rambled a long time about the book he had in his hands and suddenly his ears caught an almost inaudible whisper that came from the other side of the room in which was Ilyst.  
He went to bed and saw her eyes were half open and she was triying to speak with him.

"Re...gis...".

He grabbed her hand gently and approached her to hear better.  
His chest was full of joy and warmth to see her awake.

"How you feel?".

"Better...".

Regis smiled and gave her a little squeeze in her hand, which she returned to his surprise.

"I see that you can now move even just a little and you look better, I told you I would find a way to save you."

She flashed a huge smile.

"What are you giving me...?".

"It's a mixture of mandrake root, wolf's aloe leaves, celandine and hellebore petals".

"It seems that it took you some time to find the right combination...".

"I did it after a lot of searching".

The man was staring at her without being able to stop smiling and stroked her cheek several times.  
Her body temperature was back to normal as her eyes.  
He opened them slowly and carefully looked at them.

"Your eyes look normal again, I'm glad of it, nor would I lie if I told you that for a few moments I thought you could have stayed blind permanently for the rest of your life...".

His voice sounded a little hurt but she gave him another squeeze to his hand and smiled.

"Don't worry, you saved me...and that is what really matters...".

The man rose from the bed and went to the table to return with some food and drink.  
He gave it to her carefully until she was sated and he dipped a thick piece of fabric in cold water before he put it in her forehead.

"Thank you...".

"It's nothing, I'll let you rest and don't worry, if something happens the crow will warn me."

A dark bird was perched on the nightstand beside the bed.  
He kissed Ilyst on the cheek and let her rest knowing that all it would do would be improving day by day.


	9. Chapter 9

Slowly the poison was disappearing from Ilyst blood until she was fully recovered and was able to get out of bed.  
The morning had dawned somewhat cooler than the girl would have expected and she wrapped herself in a blanket before leaving the room to stretch her legs.

"I see that you can now walk without problems."

Regis rose and left the book he was reading on the table before approaching her and outline a warm smile.  
The man looked more tired than usual, and he thought that she had not realized she knew he was constantly watching her to make sure she wasn't getting worse again.

"I'm taking more than expected to recover, but I'm not worried, very soon I'll be able to travel the roads in search of adventure again".

She sat on a table on which were stacked several piles of dusty books and she took some grapes from a nearby bowl.  
Regis slightly scratched his neck and left, which made her wonder if something was wrong.

"Regis?".

Nobody answered.  
She got off the table and decided to follow the man, to see him back soon after with some clothes with dark colors in his hands.  
He led her back inside and gave the clothes to her.

"Put this on, you can't go all day with a simple blanket over, you could get sick."

They both laughed and Ilyst entered the room to change.  
He had brought the prettiest clothes she had ever seen and all suited her perfectly well.  
The blouse was a pale gray and had a pattern composed of small birdies.  
The pants were black and some of its details were made of silver.  
She puted her favorite boots, which lay beside the bed.  
She rummaged in her bag and pulled out a pair of ruby earrings and some gloves with no fingers because she cuted them off.

"Regis, come a moment if you please".

She could hear the sound it produces a chair to be moved and some steps directed to her.  
When the man stuck his head out the door, he was surprised.  
After what had happened to her he was astonished to see how well she had managed to recover.

"How do I look?".

He swallowed and folded his arms.  
Ilyst was very beautiful and the little smile on her face made him more difficult to not approach her.  
Her curly black hair combined harmoniously with the rest of her outfit and gave her a more delicate appearance.  
The girl looked straight into his eyes and his heart stopped for a moment.

"You look beautiful, I'm glad I made the right choice".

That comment made her blush slightly and she looked away from him.  
He rummaged in one of the bags that had hung from his belt and when he had reached what was looking he approached her and made her cover her eyes.  
She laughed and kept them closed as hard as she could.  
She felt like something very soft was brushing on her neck and how Regis Knotted it.

"You can open your eyes".

She did what he said and was speechless to see the beautiful wine colored scarf around her neck.  
The girl was unable to utter a word and touched it several times with her fingers.  
She turned around and without a warning she embraced the man.

"Thanks Regis, is a beautiful gift, you wouldn't have to bought it".

"It was nothing, and I must admit that it looks much better on you than I had imagined".

"Thank you, and before I forget, there's something I have to ask you...".

He was somewhat stiff and sighed.

"Sure, ask me anything you want".

Ilyst grabbed his hand and led him out to the cemetery, where they sat in one of the tombs resting in the shade of a tree.  
The girl had that question since the night which they attacked the fort of the bandits and that idea never left her head.  
She clasped her hands in her lap and looked at him straight in the eyes.

"You are a vampire?".

Regis closed his eyes and rubbed his chin while thinking something to say.  
It was the first time she had saw him taking so long to answer any questions and she looked a little confused.

"Indeed my dear Ilyst, I'm a vampire, and to be more precise a higher vampire, and I regret so much for not had told you that sooner".

She shook her head and placed her hand on the vampire's.  
He looked at her and smiled with relief.

"From the beginning I knew you were not human, but until the night when we kill all the bandits I didn't know you were one".

"The same could be said for you, you're not human, but I didn't fully understand what you are".

"Many times I asked myself that question".

 

They talked until night fell and millions of stars filled the sky.  
Regis held out his hand to the girl.

"I remember we established a gamble, but I not remember if someone of us won it".

"I don't remember it very well either, but it would be a pleasure to drink with you, after all I owe you my life".

Deim climbed Ilyst's arm and rubbed against her cheek affectionately.  
The girl had not seen him for some time and she was glad that nothing had happened to him.  
They walked down the dark path that left the cemetery and once they reached Beauclair they entered the crowded tavern and ordered a bottle of wine after another as they conversed and debated many issues that many thet would left the people who were there that night more confused than usual.

"I admit that I have some curiosity to see you that way, but I also have some fear, I had never seen anything alike".

"It's a rather grotesque spectacle, but I also must admit you I wish I could observe closely your transformation process, I think in very interesting, I even found several white feathers near the fort, that's not too common".

Ilyst finished her last glass of wine, they paid the bartender and returned to the cemetery.  
They stood outside watching the stars and spent the rest of the night sitting next to each other telling stories about theyr past.  
At dawn Ilyst gathered all her things and remained standing in the center of the crypt.

"I think it's time for me to go, thank you very much for all Regis, I will always owe you my life, no matter what happens".

"If you had died I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself".

The girl embraced the vampire as hard as she could and went outside.  
They stopped at the entrance of the cemetery and she embrace him again.  
When they parted they looked a little sad but they smiled.

"Before you go could you tell me what's the story behind what you are?".

The girl laughed loudly and approached him.  
That surprised took the vampire off guard and he took a couple of steps back.  
She took his hand and without giving him time to react she kissed him passionately.

"Maybe another day, when we meet again I may tell you the whole story, until then, that curiosity of yours will eat you alive".

She winked and put her hand on his cheek.

"Until next Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godefroy, it was a pleasure to meet you".

He covered the girl's hand with his and gave him a little kiss on the palm.

"The pleasure is all mine little Ilyst , I hope we meet again soon and don't cry, please".

After this exchange of words they separated and Ilyst took the road out of the cemetery to leave the vampire contemplating her silently while she was leaving Beauclair with some tears in her eyes.


End file.
